The genre of protest ring tones, a grassroots practice now picking up steam in the United States after emerging in the Philippines a few months ago, has no necessary political allegiances. It has the potential of being an explosively viral phenomenon, a modern-day version of political bumper stickers or T-shirts. Music ring tones are responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars a year in sales, and in some cases, they far outsell the music single or CD they’re based on.